melon

American  

[mel-uhn] / ˈmɛl ən /

noun

1. the fruit of any of various plants of the gourd family, as the muskmelon or watermelon.

2. medium crimson or deep pink.

3. the visible upper portion of the head of a surfacing whale or dolphin, including the beak, eyes, and blowhole.

4. Informal.

   1. a large extra dividend, often in the form of stock, to be distributed to stockholders.

      Profits zoomed so in the last quarter that the corporation cut a nice melon.

   2. any windfall of money to be divided among specified participants.

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melon British  

/ ˈmɛlən /

noun

1. any of several varieties of two cucurbitaceous vines, cultivated for their edible fruit See muskmelon watermelon

2. the fruit of any of these plants, which has a hard rind and juicy flesh

3. slang to declare an abnormally high dividend to shareholders

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Etymology

Origin of melon

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin mēlōn- (stem of mēlō ), short for mēlopepō < Greek mēlopépōn apple-shaped melon, equivalent to mêlo ( n ) apple + pépōn pepo

Example Sentences

Quality sounds intuitively appealing to any shopper, from car-lot tire kickers to produce-aisle melon sniffers.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

Set in Trinity, Texas, during a strike among migrant melon pickers, the tale unfolds through the shifting viewpoints of several figures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

There was always a steady supply of bitter melon, eggplant, gai lan and bok choy.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

I don’t eat meat anymore, but I still remember the thrill of that contrast—especially when the melon was ice-cold and the meat just sun-warmed.

From Salon • May 31, 2025

“I would say my brothers are being obnoxious, but there’s a good chance McCoy actually has a melon bailer in his desk drawer with Boss’s name on it.”

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Related Words

• cantaloupe
• gourd
• papaya
• watermelon